BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Baguio’s racing pride Iñigo Anton will be gearing up for the highest battle of his racing career as he is set to carry the country’s flag as the only Filipino driver on the grid for the high stakes Formula Trophy Malaysia serving as the support race during the blockbuster return of Formula 1 to the Petronas Sepang International circuit this October.
The return of the top tier motorsport to Sepang has created an unprecedented wave of global excitement among enthusiasts. The Formula 1 weekend support race serves as the ultimate international showcase and a vital springboard for rising motorsport talents with hundreds of thousands of fans trackside and millions more watching worldwide.
Anton, alongside his race manager and mother Karen Anton, and coach and father Carlos Anton, narrated the rigorous physical and mental preparations that were underway for the Malaysian showdown.
The young car racer comes into the challenge sharpening his craft under the expert guidance of his coach, Alex Yoong, a motorsport veteran and Malaysia’s only formula 1 racing driver.
“This is a milestone not just for Iñigo, but the Philippine motorsport as a whole, ” her mother Karen stated during a media interaction held recently.
She said that with Formula 1 making its much anticipated return to Sepang, the global spotlight will be higher than ever.
“Having our local racing pride fly the Philippine flag on this grand stage is a testament to years of grit,” she added.
Backed by longtime team partners Motul, Alpinestars, Yokohama, Axle Sports, Blu Coffee Distributors, Time Master Watches, and Infiniteserv Int’l Corporation, the camp is leaving nothing to chance.
“Racing in the support race during the F1 weekend is the biggest opportunity of my career so far,” said Iñigo. “The competition will be fierce, but we’ve put in the preparation. I’m ready to leave everything on the track and make the Philippines proud.”
Coach Carlos Anton echoed his son’s sentiments, emphasizing the technical readiness required for Sepang’s demanding 5.543 km layout: “He has the pace, he has the discipline, and he’s ready to race with the best.”
As the team finalizes preparations ahead of the October race weekend, they invite the entire nation to rally behind the Philippine flag as it flies high on one of world motorsport’s grandest stages. (Baguio PIO)
